We are deeply grieved to hear about this brother who has fallen into such destructive bondage, and we lift him up before the Lord with urgency and fervent intercession. The enemy has come to steal, kill, and destroy, but Jesus came that he may have life, and have it abundantly (John 10:10). This young man is ensnared by the works of the flesh, which are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, and the like (Galatians 5:19-21). These things are an abomination to the Lord and will keep him from inheriting the Kingdom of God if he does not repent and turn away from them.
The Word of God is clear: *"Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s Kingdom? Don’t be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortionists, will inherit God’s Kingdom"* (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). Yet there is hope! The very next verse declares, *"Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God"* (1 Corinthians 6:11). This is our prayer—that he would be washed, sanctified, and justified through the power of Christ’s blood.
We must also address the fact that this request did not invoke the name of Jesus, the only name under heaven by which we can be saved (Acts 4:12). It is not by our own power or will that deliverance comes, but by the authority of Jesus Christ alone. *"There is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved!"* (Acts 4:12). If this brother does not know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, then his greatest need is not just deliverance from crack and prostitution—it is salvation from sin and eternal separation from God. *"If you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation"* (Romans 10:9-10).
To those who may be praying for him, we exhort you: do not pray vague or powerless prayers. Pray with the authority of Jesus’ name, binding the strongholds of addiction and sexual sin in His mighty name. *"Whatever you will bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you will release on earth will have been released in heaven"* (Matthew 18:18). We must also speak the truth in love—if this brother is a believer, he is in willful rebellion, and the church is called to restore him gently but firmly (Galatians 6:1). If he is not a believer, then he is lost and in desperate need of the gospel.
Let us pray now with boldness and broken hearts:
Heavenly Father, we come before You in the mighty and holy name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We lift up this brother who is trapped in the snares of crack addiction and sexual immorality. Lord, these sins are destroying his body, his soul, and his witness. Father, we ask that You break every chain of addiction in Jesus’ name. Let the power of the Holy Spirit convict him deeply of his sin and draw him to repentance. If he does not know You, Lord, open his eyes to see his need for a Savior. Soften his heart to receive Your truth and turn from his wicked ways.
We bind the spirits of addiction, lust, and deception that have taken hold of him. We command these demons to flee in the name of Jesus Christ, for *"greater is He who is in [us] than he who is in the world"* (1 John 4:4). Father, surround him with godly men who will hold him accountable, speak Your Word into his life, and lead him to freedom. Give him a hatred for his sin and a hunger for righteousness. Let him taste and see that You, Lord, are good (Psalm 34:8), and that the pleasures of sin are but for a moment, while the joy of the Lord is eternal (Hebrews 11:25).
If there are enablers in his life—those who encourage or participate in his sin—Lord, expose them and remove their influence. Bring him into a community of believers who will walk with him in discipleship and help him stand firm. Restore to him a sound mind, Father, for You have not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-discipline (2 Timothy 1:7).
We also pray for his physical body, which is being destroyed by these sins. Heal him, Lord, from the damage that crack and sexual immorality have caused. Renew his strength and his health, that he may serve You with a whole heart. Let him experience the truth of Your Word: *"The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly"* (John 10:10).
Father, we ask that You would save him if he is not already Yours. Draw him to Yourself, Lord Jesus. Let him hear Your voice calling him out of darkness into Your marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Break his heart for what breaks Yours, and let him turn from his wicked ways. May he surrender his life to You completely, that You would be his Lord and his Deliverer.
We thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers. We trust in Your power to save and deliver, for nothing is too hard for You (Jeremiah 32:17). Let Your will be done in his life, and let Your name be glorified through his testimony of redemption. We pray all these things in the precious and mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
To those who love this brother: do not grow weary in praying for him. Fast and intercede on his behalf. Speak the truth to him in love, even if it is hard to hear. If he is open, share the gospel with him and urge him to repent. If he claims to be a believer, remind him that *"No one who is born of God practices sin, because God’s seed remains in him; and he can’t sin, because he is born of God"* (1 John 3:9). His actions are not consistent with someone who has been transformed by Christ. Encourage him to seek godly counseling and accountability.
Finally, if you have not already, examine your own heart before the Lord. Are you walking in obedience to His Word? Are you praying for others with the same fervor you desire for yourself? Let this be a reminder to all of us to *"work out [our] own salvation with fear and trembling"* (Philippians 2:12), and to *"consider how to provoke one another to love and good works"* (Hebrews 10:24). The time is short, and the stakes are eternal. Let us labor together for the sake of the Kingdom.